Updates, Bricks, and Holiday Sweets

It's been a long, somewhat trying week around here so I haven't been posting much.  I've had the 'difficult' project at work, while still trying to get my back back to feeling normal.  Not much sunlight brings on minor seasonal affective disorder.  Tensions were high between me and my wife holiday shopping on Saturday while dealing with all the people and traffic jams.  Still buried in snow and a bit more expected soon.  

Remember when I fixed up the bricks at the corner of the house?  Yeah, well somebody actually walked up, brushed the snow off the top, then walked away with one of the bricks.  The fourth one up in those pics.  Who would do something like that?  I can get the same ornamental brick for just a couple bucks come spring, but not weathered the same.  I'm just a little flabbergasted.  I try not to speculate since that just makes me want to blame our 'bad' neighbor.  It was probably just some kids and the brick is probably in the creek at the end of the block.  I hope it broke the ice and made a nice splash/kerplunk for them.  Who knows?

My wife is off to her friend Terry's tomorrow at noon to make holiday cookies and sweets with her and her sister.  Sadly, their mom died a year or two ago, but they are keeping up a family tradition.  My wife has been bff's with her forever, so its just a natural thing to do for them.

Meanwhile, I guess I get the day off.  I  will sleep as late as I can since the Packers don't start until 3:15 this afternoon.  I will clear snow, maybe wrap presents, and do little things around the house as needed, but mostly I plan on sleeping in then relaxing with the Sunday paper before football.  Maybe prepare a supersize pic dump for early this week, as now that I'm doing that as a regular post I all of a sudden have a ton of pics saved just from my recent surfings on the web.  I must be more selective in the future, oh well.

It's late, I'm sleepy.   Good Night...

Male v Female Brains

This has been going around for quite some time, but still worth a watch.  My wife and I watched this together quite a while ago.   Earlier today we had a small spat and when I explained how I was thinking, using this example - she understood!  Reason enough to pass it along if you ask me.  Guys should enjoy this, file it away, and possibly get your point understood with your significant other with this example.  It makes hilarious sense to me!

Mark Gungor explains the difference between the male and the female brain:

The Mike O'Meara Show is Back!

Yes, The Mike O'Meara Show is back. After being fired about 5 months ago, the gang is back at it, in podcast form. They started up again last Monday, December 7, with Mike, Robb Spewak, and newsman Buzz Burbank. No home radio station, they are doing the show from Mike's living room. They do have at least one affiliate radio station carrying the show, and hopefully more to follow.

On the down side, gone are Beth Ann McBride, Joe Ardinger, Katie Powers, and other odd personnel. But joining the show is Oscar Santana of the Big O and Dukes show, fired at the same time 5 months ago.

I've been listening to Mike (and his former partner of 20 years, Don Geronimo,) for a long time, so the last few months I've had to find other things (link nsfw) to listen to. I'll continue with the other podcasts, since The Mike O'Meara Show is only 1 hour a day instead of the old 4 hour show. Boy, it's just nice to hear those old familiar voices again!

If you're unfamiliar, it's just guy talk. Check out The Mike O'Meara Show website where a quick listen is as easy as hitting 'play'!

Pic Dump 5

Again, some of the odd things I have come across. As always, discretion may be advised after the break. Remember to click on the pic to make it bigger (or in some cases - readable). Enjoy!

Just Playing With Audio

I'm checking out odiogo to read the posts aloud. So far it only says the first paragraph or so. I think I have it set now, so this is a test. But I have to add much more writing, so put up with this for a bit and I'll make this post go away.

Edit: All seems well with odiogo now. So you can listen while you read, just listen, or ignore it. The audio seems to be available about a day after the article is posted, though. Also you can subscribe to the feed a number of different ways, even with itunes! See the link in the lower right column.

I don't know what I'm doing. I'm playing with new (to me) things that I stumble across, usually found randomly on some other blog. I like them and play with them a bit. I am showing that I'm just a noob blogger playing with toys. Tell me, what do you think about the audio? Anyone?

First Blizzard of the Season

Wednesday was spent on snow removal. Off and on all day. I did get to use my new snowblower, with difficulty. I got a single stage, so the snow was mostly three times deeper than it was designed for. It took longer than shoveling but was much easier on my back. I knew we would get this much snow occasionally, but I didn't expect it so early. I heard we got 18", 14.1" at the airport, but it seemed like much more.

I took a few pics (from indoors) when we were mostly done. About all you can see is white, though. If you're in this region I know you got it, too.

I think I heard of 8 finger amputations in Madison from unclogging snowblowers in the last few days. Wow. Even I knew to grab a stick!


So the snow beat us up Wednesday, and Thursday we stayed home (and off the roads) to lick our wounds. My back held up pretty well using the snowblower, but I had more than enough sore and aching muscles. My wife got the worst end of it. She did all the shoveling out front. It was alot of help, but her back was killing her. There was alot of moaning and groaning going on here Thursday, and not the good kind.

If you got hit I hope you got it taken care of well - kept all your fingers and vertebrae attached and aligned! Feel free to pass on your stories in the comments!